I'll admit it; I'm the kind of person who can talk my way around (and out of) anything. I'll gab your ear off until you'll just drop whatever issue you have or you've completely forgotten what you were asking or confronting me about.
And no, I'm not saying I'm going to stop doing that. I mean, that's just me - that's like asking Shakira to stop being sexy or telling Ricky Gervais he can't be awkward and funny anymore. It just isn't happening.
However, there is a lot of crap I can cut out of my conversations, my interactions with others, and my life in general - and that crap will and must needs be cut, man. Because 2009 is a no-crap kind of year.
1. (This is actually inherited from my coworker Cassidy's husband) I'm going to be honest with people. Blunt, perhaps. All I know is that a lot of the times, I don't tell people how I feel and I miss opportunities to make changes in my life, my relationship with that person, or their behavior. I'm going to endeavor to (thoughtfully, and as kindly and honestly as possible, but still bluntly) let them know it. And I sincerely hope that others will have the courtesy to do the same for me.
2. If I can tell you don't give two squirts of silly putty about what I'm discussing with you, I'll just drop it. Think, fine people; just suck on that for a moment - that means you'll (hopefully) never have to hear me complain about 'Dr. So-and-so's analysis of Random Book, because they totally missed the mark' or 'Random Band is awesome because they use the funkiest modes in this song, rather than building on usual progressions' as you stare on in a stupor, made nearly catatonic as I, in a haze of my own self-importance, blather on and on and on and on. If you catch me feigning erudition like that, do let me know and remind me of my New Year's Resolution. Unless you like that sort of thing. (But who am I kidding?)
3. Usually I like to think of myself as a lion of a person - loud, yes, but proud and majestic, and worth paying at least a little attention to. However, I'm afraid that most of the time I end up as a chihuahua of a person instead - yippy and annoying, without anyone really liking me. (Because, in the spirit of this resolution, let's be honest with ourselves - can anyone genuinely stand chihuahuas? Or do we all just want to play 'field goal kick' with them and only barely contain ourselves?) You see, chihuahuas pretend to be big and strong, and put on a show of being brave and noble, but it's all just a lie - you know it, they know it, Richard Nixon knows it, and the world moves on. However, a lion is big and strong - no need to pretend - and you know it, he knows it, and JFK rolls in his grave in terror of the lion's roar. And I want to be a lion, no longer a yippy little stupid chihuahua.
So there you go. Another resolution in the bag. (Fulfilling, tangentially, my resolution to write more often. Phantasmagorical!)